The Legislature hasn’t shown much stomach for relinquishing its power to draw political boundaries. So, a lawyer representing reform advocates Monday submitted a ballot measure to do the work for them: to create an 11-member independent redistricting commission.

Lafayette attorney Barry Fadem, who specializes in initiatives, filed the measure Monday with the Attorney General’s Office, saying only that he represents a coalition of advocates that will announce by next week its campaign to change the way politicians’ districts are drawn.

But it’s no secret that California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, People’s Advocate and San Francisco-based Voices of Reform are behind the measure. They decided to work on drafting a proposal after a redistricting bill died in the Legislature last fall.

“There are many people in this conversation who believe this task is one that is simply too difficult for the Legislature to successfully engage in,” said Fred Keeley, a co-chairman of Voices of Reform and former Democratic legislator from Santa Cruz. “Like Charlie Brown with Lucy and the football, many of us believed we should have as many options available to us as possible.”

Supporters insist the initiative effort is serious, but they also hope the move prods the Legislature to produce its own reform plan.

“Our hope is it creates an additional incentive and some leverage on legislative leaders,” said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist and a co-chairman with Voices of Reform. “They want to craft their own initiative rather than reacting to something done by others.”

The measure would, among other things, lay out criteria for selecting members onto the independent commission – a contentious issue. The initiative calls for commissioners to be selected from a pool of randomly drawn voters. Previous reforms would have allowed retired judges to pick members – an idea criticized by some because the judges might not reflect the state’s diversity.

Legislators would have a role in the screening commission members, but would not select any members of the commission, according to the filing.

Having an independent commission redraw state legislative and congressional boundaries, supporters say, would eliminate the inherent conflict of interest of lawmakers choosing the districts that vote for them. It would bring competition into some districts, and perhaps reduce the political dominance Democrats have in California.

That loss of power is acutely feared among congressional Democrats, who are loathe to lose any seats through redistricting, especially after having recaptured control of the U.S. House.

House Democrats have wielded great behind-the-scenes pressure with their legislative friends in thwarting previous attempts at change. That is why an independently produced ballot initiative that includes congressional districts could send Democrats scurrying to offer their own legislative solution, reform advocates said.

Senate president pro tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, has made it clear he won’t support redistricting reform that includes congressional districts; Assembly Speaker Fabian Nu ez, D-Los Angeles, has said it’s unlikely he can get any reform through with them.

The deadline to submit new bills was Friday, but there are ways to create new legislation by altering a proposed bill that’s already been introduced.

Nu ez said Monday he still hopes the Legislature can produce its own reform.

“I believe the legislative process is the best mechanism to ensure that a redistricting plan fully meets the considerations of the Voting Rights Act, communities of interest, boundaries, and dozens of other key legal issues,” he said. “However, we will continue to work with the proponents of the initiative put forth today as we continue to move a fair, legal and responsible plan through the Legislature.”

Keeley said reformers want to work with Nu ez, “but we would not be doing our job if we left it solely in their hands.”

As soon as the Legislature adjourned last year, the groups began to lay out a plan – and the details of a proposal – even as Nu ez was vowing to present a new redistricting plan in the Legislature this year.

But last week, CalChamber and the California Teachers Association announced they were backing an effort to put a term limit reform measure on the ballot. Nu ez and other legislative Democrats had said they wanted to link term limits and redistricting. The term limits initiative left critics worried that Nu ez was abandoning redistricting.

“When term limits moved out,” Keeley said, “we were grateful for having put all the work in so we weren’t caught flat-footed.”

Initiative backers admit they wouldn’t mind calling off their effort if they see an earnest effort by the Legislature.

“If the Legislature puts an initiative on the ballot with the governor’s signature,” Schnur said, “it makes it a lot easier to pass.”

Proponents of the redistricting initiative need more than one million signatures validated by the secretary of state by

Sept. 27, which gives them less than three months to collect them. Collecting that many signatures typically costs around $2 million to $2.5 million, which supporters say they have ready to go.